Last May, the Human Worth Project was able to provide a used vehicle for a deserving young man. It was a special moment for the project’s founder, Chelsea Los, because it was the car her grandmother had given to her when she first began driving. Her grandmother passed away two years ago and Los just felt like there was no better way to keep her spirit alive than by passing on her love, kindness and generosity. Pictured with his gifted set of wheels is Jacob Weber.

SYRACUSE — We’ve all heard the term “pay it forward,” an idea promulgated in the 2000 movie and 1999 novel by the same name. The generally accepted definition is repaying a good deed to others instead of back to the original benefactor. For one Kosciusko woman, her desire to put words into action has spawned a local movement to do just what the term suggests.

Syracuse resident Chelsea Los started the Human Worth Project Feb. 7. “It’s really kind of crazy how small things can multiply so much,” she said. “I have a great family who taught me the value in helping others and spreading kindness. My mother and father have always showed me how to do this through their actions. It came naturally to me to continue with this spirit.”

Los made sure the project had an online presence as well, starting a blog to share her ideas along with various social media accounts allowing people to share the random acts of kindness they experience in their daily lives.

“I started the Facebook page and added a description outlining my goals for the project,” Los shared. “About six hours later, I checked the page and saw I had received my first post and it was all the way from Dover, Del. Someone had shared a kind deed that had turned their day around. It made me emotional, just having that reinforcement that this might mean something to someone else.

“I had business cards made after a friend offered her design services as her random act of kindness. She made the fingerprint logo that really embodies our project.”

Los had many contacts in the Syracuse community who were excited about her endeavor and excited to see it succeed. “I have a friend who recognized this need in me to spread as much love and kindness as possible,” she said. “He came to me one day with $200 and told me to go make others happy. It inspired me to see just how far $200 could go. And it hasn’t stopped since that day in February.”

Another friend offered her services to create a beautiful chalkboard display for the group’s first speaking event. Los’s boyfriend, Jesse Atteberry, has been key to this project, running with Los’s “crazy ideas” and helping her craft new ways to spread kindness and spread the message.

“I think an important part of the project is the basic understanding that we are all equal as humans,” said Los. “It isn’t about being a perfect person, because we all make mistakes. I have made too many to count, but each one taught me a lesson and brought me to where I am today. It’s important to remember that getting through life isn’t a competition.”

Helping others has always been a form of self-help for Los. If she is having a bad day and can’t seem to turn it around, she said she does things like paying for the person in line behind her at the drive-thru or paying for a couple’s meal. She added there are so many small ways to be kind that don’t involve money, like holding the door for someone, offering to baby-sit their children or carrying groceries.

“If I pay for someone’s coffee, it starts a conversation and I have the opportunity to share my project and my passion,” she said. “Often, they use their savings to pay for someone else. It’s a great chain.”

To find out more about the Human Worth Project, start by checking out its page on Facebook.

CHELSEA LOS